Pressure was mounting for the BBC to take further action over offensive calls made by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand to veteran actor Andrew Sachs.

The corporation has already apologised to Fawlty Towers star Mr Sachs after the DJ pair left answerphone messages saying Brand had slept with his granddaughter, 23 year old Georgina Baillie, an aspiring model.

The presenters also joked that the actor might kill himself as a result. Ross, 47, has since issued a personal apology, with Brand, 33, following suit.

The BBC has so far received more than 1,500 complaints, including phone calls and emails, and there have been several calls for the pair to be taken off air or sacked.

Mediawatch-UK, the pressure group which campaigns for "decency and accountability" in the media, called for Brand and Ross to be removed from broadcasting while the BBC investigated the incident.

Director John Beyer said: "I think the BBC should look at the possibility of putting other presenters on air while it conducts this investigation to reassure the public it is taking the matter seriously."

Mr Beyer said he had received several calls from people who were angry about the incident.

"People strongly object to licence fee payers' money being used to fund these sorts of immature pranks," he said.

Former shadow home secretary David Davies also called for the pair to be sacked.

"In no other organisation paid for by the taxpayer or otherwise, would you be able to get away with behaving like this," he told the Daily Mail.